Astros’ Norris on pins and needles as trade deadline nears

BALTIMORE — The circus the Astros started teasing at the end of the 2012 season, when the large-market club began slashing payroll in hopes of competing three years down the road, finally arrived 105 games into the 2013 season at Oriole Park.

No. 1 starter Bud Norris was on track to make his scheduled appearance as of 11 a.m. Tuesday. Then he was suddenly scratched, and trade rumors that had hovered for nearly a year crashed down.

Norris was instantly tied to multiple teams, including Baltimore — whom the Astros played — Pittsburgh, Boston and Arizona. But he was still an Astro by 3 p.m., when he walked into the team’s clubhouse in civilian clothes while saying he didn’t know anything about his much-discussed future. He was still an Astro by 4, as teammates joked about hearing news of their teammate’s new destination relayed via a sports television ticker while Norris slouched nearby in a thick leather couch. And he was still an Astro after his team lost 4-3 to the Orioles, with Wednesday’s 3 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline less than 19 hours away.

“I was a little surprised by (the scratch), but I understand the reasoning behind it. I’ve been talking to my agent about it, and he understands why as well,” said Norris, who gave an impromptu pregame interview before manager Bo Porter held his normal media session.

36-46 for career

The fact a 28-year-old righthander with a career 36-46 record and 4.33 ERA briefly commanded larger than normal attention said more about the state of the Astros’ rebuild than Norris’ status in Major League Baseball. He’s in the second tier of a weak deadline pitching market, has missed two potential starts in the last month, and holds a 6.38 July ERA.

But two remaining years of club control and the potential of a new, winning environment surround Norris with intrigue. And with the Astros’ active payroll at just $16 million after closer Jose Veras was traded to Detroit on Monday, the long-held assumption that Norris and his team-high $3 million salary would be dealt at some point during the 2013 season peaked after his scratched start was announced.

“I don’t think it’s some-thing you can prepare for, from a standpoint of losing your opening-day starter and a guy who’s been your best pitcher the whole year,” Porter said.

There is no guarantee the Astros will move Norris, and his value should hold through the December winter meetings. The Astros are eyeing top-level prospects in return, but with Jake Peavy going from the White Sox to Boston late Tuesday, a team needing a proven starter may be willing to meet the Astros’ price now.

Norris has long believed he will be dealt before the deadline, and cracks began to show Tuesday. Acknowledging the attention was “exciting,” Norris again showed interest in playing for a playoff-caliber team and said he needed to be a “little selfish” by taking care of himself and his MLB future five seasons into a career that has mostly been characterized by deals for prospects and team defeats.

“We’ve been through a lot the last couple years here. To see the 10-plus trades I’ve seen … is pretty crazy. And now I know that I may be part of that next piece and … be part of the track record,” Norris said.

Porter said Norris will pitch Wednesday if he’s still on the team. As of Tuesday evening, no deal was imminent. But Norris had been scratched because talks had intensified, and the Astros didn’t want to devalue one of their few remaining major league assets by risking an injury.

Arms on the farm

If Norris is traded, rookie Jarred Cosart and 22-year-old Jordan Lyles will become the best young major league arms for an organization that is beginning to stockpile potential big league hurlers in the minors.

Norris represents one of the last members of the Astros’ old guard. Drafted the year after the club’s lone World Series appearance in 2005, he’s one phone call and strong offer away from a move long in the making. With several larger pieces still to fall, Norris could become a perfect fallback option for some team during the final hours before the deadline.

“My emotions are kind of here, there and everywhere,” Norris said. “The next 24 hours will be pretty interesting.”